While I was searching for photos for this post, I stumbled upon this image of Paz de la Huerta (which until now, has gone unnoticed) strolling through the streets of New York City last July. She looks positively normal, doesn’t she? I mean, beyond the visible bra and pantylines, but at least we know she’s wearing underwear here, which is probably something that she does without on a regular basis; that is, unless she’s getting paid to model it. Regardless of her questionable habits, I adore the mess that is Paz, and I’ve been missing her a lot lately. Just last week, I noted that the red carpet of the SAGs and Globes weren’t the same without Paz stumbling around with a smear of oddly colored lipstick and a total absence of eye makeup.

Even though she’d probably be a (drunken) terror to deal with in real life, I’ve always appreciated that Paz doesn’t play to the standards of conventional Hollywood beauty (even if that means she often looks like trash) and simply refuses to play the Hollywood game, period. Unfortunately, Paz may have reaped serious career repercussions for her behavior, or maybe the producers of “Boardwalk Empire” just got tired of her crap because they’ve written her character, Lucy Danziger, out of the third season of the show. That would also explain why Paz hasn’t been on hand to support the shows during the awards season.

Boardwalk Empire has whacked Paz de la Huerta.

TVLine has learned exclusively that the HBO mob hit has opted not to pick up the actress’ Season 3 contract option, which means viewers have likely seen the last of her character, Lucy Danziger.

Introduced in Season 1 as Nucky’s (Steve Buscemi) unhinged mistress, Lucy spent much of Season 2 pregnant and shacked up with Michael Shannon’s Van Alden (the baby daddy). Shortly after giving birth, she went on a formula run and never returned, leaving the baby in Van Alden’s care.

An HBO rep declined to comment for this story.

De la Huerta’s exit brings to four the number of original Empire cast members not returning for Season 3; she joins Michael Pitt, Dabney Coleman and Aleksa Palladino (all of whom were killed off in Season 2’s final hours).

To fill the void, producers are introducing several new characters, including a rival to Nucky played by Bobby Cannavale.

[From TV Line]

Poor Paz! I wonder if this has anything to do with that rumor that her camp took the booze away from her. While she’s got a handful of films in various staes of production [including pr0ny looking roles in both Inferno and (NSFW poster) Nurse 3D], it’s going to be difficult for her to come back from getting sacked from “Boardwalk Empire.” Now she won’t be able to claim “I’m a real actress — HBO!” while getting arrested.

Photos courtesy of WENN